The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-03-29

4
his trail. As he had gone on foot with
q large valise in his hand it WAS easy to
hear of him along the road. He headed
toward Oshkosh for five or six miles,
and then turned directly north. 1t Was
in the fall of the year, and the roads
were in bad condition, but he made
twenty-four miles that first day, not
stopping at all for dinner. He went
to the northeast for six miles, to
the north for ten miles, and then
he turned due west, almost on a
line with La Crosse. and went eight
miles before stopping at an inn.
only made the same number of miles
on horseback, but as he had TO lie by
the next forenoon on account OF the
rain. while / had good weather. /
gained half day on him. He pro-
ceeded toward La Crosse for ten miles
more. and then went north two miles,
and stayed overnight with farmer
and talked about going to work in
saw mill. Next day he headed due
west, and reached the Wisconsin river
at hamlet called Little Bend. 1t
was on the sixth day after he left
Milwaukee that / located him, and he
! had then been at work in a saw mill
for 4 day and a half. entered the
hamlet ON foot, as he had done, hav-
ing j few extra clothes in a bundle.
and il was soon known to the seventy
five or eighty population that L was
! in search of work. The owner of the
only store in the place also kept
saloon and Il tavern, and, under pre-
tense of being foOtsore and used up,
| remained idle for two or three days,
although the mill owner was short of
hands and desired me TO 60 TO work at
once.
1t may be thought strange that l did
not at once arrest Lane and have done
with it. Had | overhauled him en-
route that would have been the plan.
for the money would have been in his
vaiiSe. He had taken board st the
tavern. and during my first half day
there had found his room open and
his valise unlocked. There was moth
ing in il which any one would want
to take away. He had, like a sharp
man, taken his money out and planted
it. He could not Justly suspect that
was after him. for after three or four
DAYS | went To work alongside of him
anu held him at i distance. He tried
hard to get acquainted with me. but
was taciturn and unSocial. He gave
me an opportunity TO ask him ques-
tons. but | refused To profit by it. l
admitted. for purpose. that | left
Milwaukee four or five days behind
him: and, after seeming to reflect for
while. he asked:
WAS there any special news when
you Left"
; Il don't remember"
No murders or robberiesY
There was a mystery of some sort, L
believe. Somebody drew lot of money
out of the bank. fell into the hands of
sharpers, and they were looking in the
river and lake for his dead body"
HIM. he coughed. and that ended
our conversation, though did not fail
to notice the look of qualification which
crept over his face. That he had hid
: den the treasure was certain. That he
, would visit it sooner or later was dead
sure. | watched him closely during
the day, and / saw that he was nervous
and preoccupied. / expected he would
90 out to inspect his treasure at night,
, and / took my precautions that he
should not escape me. but he made no
, move. He went To work on Friday
noon of one week and | on Thursday
, of the next When Sunday week came
il was bright, warm day and made
up my mind not to- lose sight of him
for an hour There were several acres
of logs i'm the yard. and after breakfast
| went To the mill, climbed up in the
attic. and had the yard and the hamlet
under my eve. AT about ten O'Clock
Lane came down into the yard, wan
:. derrd about in an aimless sort OF way
, though all the time keeping his eye
epem. and by and by | saw him inspect
ing huge log lying near thorn-aPpl'
!, tree, which WAS the only tree or busi
:, i'm the ward had been hauling log
with the cattle TO the bank and dump
: ing them off for the elevator or car Il
carry them up the incline into the mill
!, and had noticed the big log. 1t hs'
4 been there for years, and was worth
: less Now that saw Lane in the vicin
: ;ity | made up my mind that he hat
!, hidden his money close by. and
!, slipped out and went for ramble il
: the woods.
a That night at midnight. without an
thing having happened to create SUI
picion on Lanes part. dressed myse'
and crept ont of the tavern 10 make
:, hunt for the money. On my way out
u Il l. -. IL